CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department has directed the fish sellers to ensure the standard quality of the meat and also obtain a food safety licence after an inspection at the Tambaram fish market on Saturday.

Based on a complaint filed by a consumer that a shopkeeper was selling spoilt fish on Friday, the Kancheepuram district food safety officials undertook an inspection at the market. The officials also found that the shop has been operating without a licence. Thus, they warned the seller to apply for a license immediately.

Though the officials were unable to collect samples sold on Friday, they issued a warning to the shopkeepers to ensure that there are no complaints of foul smell in fish and they are of standard quality.

Shockingly, the food safety officials noted that the majority of the food business operators did not have a valid license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. As per the instructions given by the officials to obtain a licence immediately, the president of the fish market agreed to abide by it.

Highlighting that a lot of small-scale food business operators do not obtain the licence or fail to renew it, the officials noted, “It is mandatory to obtain and renew the licence promptly. After the initial warning, strict action will be taken against the business operators if they fail to obtain the same. It can be applied beforehand if the renewal date is nearing.”

The inspection also revealed that the no food business operator had a Food Safety Supervisor trained under the Food Safety Training - Certification (FoSTaC) Training Programme. Thus, the officials directed them to undergo the training by FSSAI. The shopkeepers were also instructed to store and preserve fishes in a hygienic manner.